Why Lightning Doesn't Take The Shortest Path

Lightning works much harder than it appears. To get from sky to ground (or cloud to cloud!) it must navigate some pretty choppy situations. Next time you watch a good storm, keep in mind why lightning isn't just a straight line!

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Do not attempt to repeat our demonstrations, without prior knowledge of electrical or fire safety. We do not hold responsibility or liability for damage or injury incurred by copying our results.

Lightning Miracles Why Does It Bend And Twist?

[PlasmaChannel]

We wanted to note that there are other factors influencing shape of sparks as well, such as random fractal growth and electron avalanche. We just wanted to keep this video short and sweet. We will work on slightly longer episodes from here on out when possible! Thanks!

[kruppstahl]

This channel deserves more subscribers

[alcyonecrucis]

You hit the nail on the head. Ought to publish some of those figures!!

[svenpetersen]

My son and I have pumped the air out of a glas tube and tested it with a small tesla coil. That produced some pretty nice light effects. That might be an example of the conductivity of air with less pressure.

[SoiledBottom]

I come for the Vests, but stay for the science

[vectoranalyser]

Great channel, keep up the good work!

[tectzas]

This question popped up in my head. So I searched it and bam! Here's the explanation. Thanks!

[igamse]

Only one question
Why only 4k subscribers ?

[TCBYEAHCUZ]

Electrical currents through plasma filaments also like to travel in pairs over long distances, you can see this effect in plasma globes. The ends of the filaments when they touch the glass medium will separate into two distinguishable filament ends 8^)

[DSage]

You have a very fun, entertaining, and educational channel! Just subscribed, Keep up the cool videos.

[ridefast]

Hi - and BIG THANKS for taking the time and trouble to publish these technically very competent videos, in marked contrast to many others!! As a Tesla Coil hobbyist I am very interested in getting the longest possible arcs and sparks from a given circuit, and I am not afraid of hard calculations as a starting point. Do you have any comment on the estimate of about 500 kV/m to keep an arc channel 'alight' and some sources estimate 300 Watts/meter to keep the arc hot enough to sustain itself? I was specially interested in higher BPS allowing arcs to grow longer, did you run any numbers behind that statement?

[MrBusta-zjec]

Thanks for making our understanding Easy!

[GuitarSamurai]

Yes! More scientific questions and answers please :b love your style and channel!

[JMP_]

You mentioned pressure, but this would be a cool experiment maybe for a future video:

Get a bell jar and a vacuum pump. Put your 3v tesla coil inside the bell jar, along with a conductive grounding rod. Once you have it set to make some decent sparks, film it as you use the vacuum pump to suction out the air. In theory, as it becomes more of a vacuum inside, the sparks should straighten out more and more and eventually disappear as there is no air left to ionize! BUT invisible current will still be flowing which could be domonstrated with a multimeter.

Interestingly this is similar to how vacuum tubes are used to amplify sound. Because there is no resistance, the high voltage sends electrons flying, and smashing into the anode. Modulating this flow of electrons is the basis for amplification.

[alexanderpoltzer]

Thanks for answering my last question about measuring high voltage! But now I have another question, is there a way to measure amperage from a high voltage source? And if so, how? I ask because I am trying to make a tesla coil running on a high voltage supply that is mislabeled to be 1Mv and 0.5 amps, and to design the tesla coil I must know these parameters. If anyone knows the answer you do!

[lizfed]

Amazing, you finally answered a lifelong question. Is in the process of recreating your lightning tower voltage multiplier and was wondering How I could send you the photo when I'm finished. And as always, keep up the great work!!

[aaronvice]

Faraday I think not for sure was interested in the speed of a scent (perfume) that's really assuming certain scents with smells carry different conductive properties at same temp???🤔

[PaintByMonster]

FUN!!! I'll watch more! I am your 601st thumbs up and subscriber 138K+ I watched when count was at 8, 702. See you in two weeks. Cheers from Paint by Monster!

[TheSpyFardin]

It was been my question for a year!!!!🇧🇩💝🇧🇩💝

[PyroTronix]

Thanks for another great video, keep it up👍